Final Problem: Guardian Edition
by badboylover24
Summary: This is Neo Dragon X's tribute to the Series Finale The Final Problem. I tweaked it for him a bit so it doesn't sound too sad. Again, we don't own anything but the fanfic. Enjoy.


Things were quiet in the hall of Castle Purity, the castle of the Arch-Paladin of Vestroia, Homeworld of the Guardians. A cloaked figure slowly walked through the nearby door, his clawed feet barely making a noise as he made his way through the throne room.

The figure continued on his way, snapping its talons in the process. With a whoosh, the torches mounted on the walls lit up, bathing the hall and figure in radiant orange light. The figure slowly stepped through the hallway, the torches' light revealing a selection of stained-glass windows.

There were six in total, each displaying an image of a pony with her guardian. The first one was a of a butter-yellow Pegasus, a trio of pink butterflies on her flank and her pink mane fluttering gently as she gave a shy smile, riding on the shoulder of a gargantuan brown golem-like creature, its blue eyes sparkling merrily as a white bunny and Pikachu scampered below them.

The next was one of a rainbow-maned cyan Pegasus mare, her wings outstretched as she dashed across the air, a proud smile on her face and clear excitement in her rose-pink eyes, her cutie mark of a thunderbolt striking through a cloud glowing. Pursuing her was a black dragon-like creature, his dark eyes glowing with pride and happiness as his back-mounted turbine propelled him with a jet of flame belching from it. And alongside them flew a tortoise and a Torkoal, each with a small propeller strapped to his back.

The third was of a blonde-maned orange earth pony, her Stetson slightly tilted on her head as she looked upon a white-armored knight, his yellow eyes narrowed as he struggled to free a trapped pig from his pen. At their sides stood a collie and a Growlithe.

The fourth was of a purple-maned white unicorn, a pair of glasses on her snout as she busily made and stitched a couple of dresses, the green-clad ninja next to her carefully hammering a sheet of metal to make a suit of armor for his next client. And at their feet laid an Alolan Persian with a white a white Persian cat snuggled into her side.

The fifth was of a bubbly pink earth pony, a massive smile on her face as she happily bounced around a room, setting up balloons and other party supplies while a blue merman, grasping a massive trident in his hand, filled bowls of punch with merry laughter echoing through the air. A Totodile danced alongside them as a baby gator watched from on the punch table.

The sixth and final one was of a purple Alicorn, a six-pointed star on her flanks, leaning against a massive, white humanoid dragon, her snout buried into a thick book. The dragon, his blade and shield leaning against a nearby tree, was also reading a tome. Flying above them were an owl and a Noctowl.

The figure passed the windows, making his way to the end of the hallway. Another quick snap of his talons switched on a massive light attached to the ceiling, revealing the object he was searching for.

A massive statue of the six ponies with their guardians, facing down a massive centaur, a tiny pink Alicorn with curled blue locks, and a powerfully built Changeling queen. Their guardians were just behind them, a massive white dragon with purple veins running through his body, a giant genie-like monster with six armless hands clutching onto six rings and a maw full of sharp teeth, and a giant blue dragon, half of her body mutated with the genes of the lightning dragon Zekrom and the other half with that of the fire dragon Reshiram.

This statue represented the final battle for Equestria in which the six ponies-Twilight Sparkle; Pinkie Pie; Fluttershy; Rarity; Applejack; and Rainbow Dash-and their guardians-Paladin Dragonoid; Infinity Trister; Boulderon; Taylean; Wolfurio; and Infinity Helios-had defeated the six villains.

While Tirek, Cozy Glow and Chrysalis along with their guardians, Silent Naga, Hoopa, and Kyurem were powerful opponents, they were no match for the power of friendship in the end.

The figure slowly kneeled down, the light revealing his rugged and scarred face as Lord Paladin Dragonoid, Arch-Paladin of Vestroia and former guardian of Princess Twilight Sparkle. The white Dragonoid held a massive pure-white staff, a diamond orb set onto the tip glowing with a pitch-black gleam. The staff was formed from the fusion of the three weapons of the Paladins: Lady Arceus' Infinity Spear, Lady Giratina's Distortion Scythe, and Drago's Infinity Blade. It was now the Staff of Purity, giving its wielder the power to wield both life and death; to create and destroy. Since Arceus and Giratina had given up their arch-ruler powers to restore the ruined Vestroia back to its pristine state, their legacy needed to be kept alive now that they have retired to the Sapphire Shores with their partners and best friends retired Princesses Celestia and Luna. So they passed their legacy down to Drago and his mate Dialga.

Drago's cloak, stitched from the finest velvet Rarity had to offer and reinforced with Taylean's strongest adhesives, gently flowed in the faint wind coming from the nearby windows. Drago looked up at the statue for a few moments, before slamming the haft of his staff into the ground, creating a crater and causing the entire floor to ripple. Leaving the staff buried in the marble, Drago drew from his cloak a porcelain teacup and a kettle. Taking a cross-legged stance on the ground, the Arch-Paladin poured himself a steaming cup of tea. Setting the kettle on the ground, Drago raised the cup to his lips and took a sip, continuing to stare up at the statue.

After a few minutes, the sound of shattering porcelain filled the air. Drago buried his face into his claws, the hot tea on his talons not even bothering him as his powerful body began to shake with rough, broken sobs.

He missed the battles against the villains, protecting his home, protecting Equestria. He missed his friends. He missed his little sister and former assistant Skyress.

But most of all, he missed Twilight. He missed her panic attacks when she forgot something back at the library. He missed her gentle hoof on his claw when he had a breakdown. He missed the naps she would take on his chest after a long day of ruling and adventures.

Hot tears dripped on the marble as the Dragonoid drowned himself in his misery. It had been twenty years since he had last been in Equestria, twenty years since he led the Guardians back to Vestroia after his and Twilights' coronations.

Twenty years since he had seen Twilight.

He could remember it just like it was yesterday. Both their coronations had gone very differently. Twilight's had been an utter disaster, ruined by her own clumsiness bundled with a series of unfortunate actions, from the geese and birds Fluttershy had recruited to crown rioting due to lack of food to the Wonderbolts arriving much earlier than they were supposed to.

While Drago's went very smoothly, his heart was broken seeing his mother figure and mentor, Lady Arceus, along with her sister Lady Giratina, combine their weapons' powers with Drago's Infinity Blade to transform it into the Staff of Purity that restored the formerly destroyed Vestroia. Now that their weapons are forever one with the Blade, the two former rulers retired to the Sapphire Shores with Celestia and Luna.

It was then that Draco shockingly realized that he, as the new Arch-Paladin, was now responsible for the wellbeing of all Guardians in their place. And for the good of Equestria, they had to leave the country that had taken them and now very much regarded as their own home.

He could still remember the heartbroken look on Twilight's face as he leaned down, touching his snout to her hoof as they had done when they had first met on that fateful day so many years ago, him having just fled from the destruction of Vestroia at the hands of Naga's goons, the Gargonoids.

_"Goodbye Drago…" Twilight whispered, tears flowing down her silken cheeks as her amethyst eyes glanced into the tear-filled eyes of her guardian, the one that had sacrificed himself so many times to protect her, her brother and partner._

_"Twilight…" Drago whispered, unsure of how to respond._

He could still remember the faint smile on Twilight's face and the rest of their friends, the Mane Six looking up as their guardians flew away into the portal, to return and rebuild Vestroia, even as he flew away, broken sobs wracking his chest.

He was her protector and brother, for now and forever, even if they were not physically together anymore.

And he swore it.

Suddenly the sound of a portal opening filled the air. Shocked, Drago looked behind him to see that a portal that had opened was leading into Canterlot's throne room.

Eyes widening, he gasped as the forms of his friends emerged.

Boulderon was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sipping from a wineglass with a giggling Fluttershy on his shoulder. Wolfurio and Helios, the former wearing the helmet of his deceased grandfather Seraph and the latter clad in the armor of the elite flying squad/royal knights the Thunderbolts, chatted happily with the aged Applejack and Rainbow Dash with them. Trister and Pinkie Pie were there also, the former cradling his preschool-aged son in one arm and the latter holding onto her giggling daughter Lil Cheese. Taylean with a long scarf wrapped around his neck chatted excitedly with the cloak-wrapped Rarity about the latest fashion trends in Yakyakistan. And the muscular Spike stood their proudly with the beautiful Skyress perched on his shoulder.

But the most heartrending of all…

Twilight.

She had grown dramatically since the last time he had seen her, having the same proportions as her former mentor Celestia. Her broad wings fluttered in the wind as she glanced upon him with her amethyst eyes, tears streaking down her cheeks as a smile touched her lips, the crown upon her head gleaming in the faint light from the windows.

"Tw… Twil… Twilight?" Drago whispered, unable to believe his own words as he stepped through the portal.

"Drago…" Twilight whispered in return, before he hurled himself at her, grabbing her in a tight hug and licking her face over and over again with his broad tongue. Twilight's giggling filled the air as the rest of the ponies and guardians watched in satisfaction and happiness.

Releasing Twilight, Drago picked up his staff before leaning down and touching the tip of his snout to the purple Alicorn's, their horns glowing in tandem as they reconnected. The rest of their friends joined them, the group of fourteen embracing in a massive group hug.

They were reunited, and would never be separated again.


End file.
